Pros: The guys who take care of this course do a superb job all around. It has been my home course since i started throwing three years ago. There are a big variety of hole lengths, some throwing off of cliffs. Also, hiking up and down the mountain is great for your cardio.

Cons: Like any true desert course, your discs will take a beating at the ridge.

Pros: The elevation change: you can't throw off a mountain on any of the other courses in Phoenix!

The openness: you have unobstructed views of the basket (and your disc) for all 27 baskets. I've never lost a disc out here!

Cons: The landscape: the rocks will definitely scuff up your discs.

The location: I've had trouble getting to the course using the 101, as there's no exit for Union Hills. Turns out you can just get off the 101 about a block early either way and take the frontage road to Union Hills.

The layout: if you're just playing the standard 18 baskets, then it shouldn't be too hard to find your way (except for 1-4, those are a little challenging). However, the extra 9 baskets on the north side of the park can be difficult to navigate - bring a map if you can.

The pedestrians: there's plenty of joggers and walkers in the park, please don't hit them!

Pros: The course plays through a large rocky park with no real conflict from other park uses. There is some nice elevation, with the middle section of the course playing on the side of a large hill. That makes for some fun downhill shots and some tricky uphill shots. There are a couple throws across the hill as well, with the chance to fade or roll down the hill if you don't land your shot correctly. A couple cool pin positions make for some challenge in the short game with rollaway potential as well.

Some of the pins are placed well, using the low brush as a better obstacle than I expected. There's some length variety, with a few ace runs and a few holes where most players will pull out a max distance driver. The tees and baskets show a little age, but are in fine shape.

Cons: This course is wide open. You can throw whatever your favorite shot is on every single hole out here and score just fine. Nothing forces you to shape any different lines, and there's no punishment for even really bad shanks. You can recover for a 3 from anywhere with no trees and no rough that's tall or thick enough to force creative recoveries. Even the holes with elevation feel pretty repetitive when you're just throwing up and down the same hill over and over.

There's a lot of broken glass throughout the course, as well as some areas where trash has been dumped. The signage is inconsistent at best, navigation is pretty tough without a map or local guide. Several of the holes play really close to one another, especially a few holes on the added loop of 9 letter holes.

Other Thoughts: Beginners are going to find this course a little long but very approachable with no real punishment for a lack of accuracy. More experienced players can use this course to work on placing hyzer shots, but won't find much of a test of other disc golf skills. I liked the desert scenery here, the disc golf just wasn't very exciting.

Pros: This is my new "home" course. It has 27 holes now. The group of guys that manage and play the course regularly really do a great job of keeping things fresh and clean. It's got beautiful views as you get up the side of the ridge. Offers a great experience of the desert. Lots of wildlife (lizards, quail, rabbits, and occasional snake). Core group plays regularly. They are very friendly and very talented.

Cons: Until you know the layout, it can be difficult to find your way around. Nothing more can be done to help though. It's just the nature of a desert course. Discs can get pretty beat up too. Once again, just the result of any desert course.

Other Thoughts: Being new to the sport, I'd only played Vista del Camino before moving north. It took a little getting used to but now that I have, I absolutely love it. I'd definitely recommend it. Give it a shot, and see if it's your cup of tea.

Pros: Great tee pads. Plenty of drop shots with a variety of up hill holes. Nice layout that doesn't overlap and is easy for players new to the course. The variety of hole length was pretty decent . Local flora does a good job shaping each hole for lower throws

Cons: No ceiling. Without trees the holes are somewhat one dimensional. Tomahawks are probably the best shot for every hole. Baskets were hard to see when the path wasn't obstructed by bushes. A splash of color on the baskets would help. No shade from the sun.

Other Thoughts: I was in the area and popped in for a round. This was the first desert course I have played. It's was very scenic and relatively uncrowded. It was a refreshing change to what I normally play. Be prepared for the carnage your discs will receive on this rocky course. My toughest discs got chewed up. Leave the DX plastic at home.

Pros: Buffalo Ridge is in a great desert setting with cacti and palo verdes. This is true desert disc golf. Almost all of the holes have a different feel, except for one or two that go straight up the mountain. You can really air it out here and have no trouble getting birdies. The baskets are in really good condition and the teepads are great (each pad has a different design). There are some well protected baskets and some wide-open ones. The new 9 (A-I), are great also. Hikers rarely interfere with disc golfers.

Cons: Very hot during the summer months. But what do you expect, it's Phoenix. There's no need for much of a line-shaping game here, as there are very few trees that get in your way. It can get a little difficult to find your disc if you don't keep an eye on it after you throw. The teepads are a little hard to find for the new 9, so try to find a local or take a picture of the map at teepad A.

Other Thoughts: This course is very beautiful and a blast to play. Bring lots of water. The course is a good form of exercise also. This is the best course I have been to in PHX.

Pros: 27 holes +1 practice basket.
Huge elevation changes.
Grippy custom concrete tees.
Optional basket locations.
Awesome course for night play.
Rest spots at hole 7 and 12.
Fairly secluded, you'll only see people playing DG and hiking once you get past 2nd tee.
A friend I play night golf with is slowly but surely adding solar powered lights to the baskets. I believe there is 7 out there now on holes #5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, and 14

Cons: HOT during the summer.
Can be tiring if you aren't ready to hike.
Losing a disc isn't too far fetched..

Other Thoughts: My home course, always a challenge. All par 3's. If you can't take the heat, STAY OFF THE RIDGE!

Pros: Good tee signs and tee boxes. 27 holes! (although the new 9 wasn't really marked well as of 3/3). A lot of fun, true desert golf. Beautiful scenery. Restrooms on site. Great use of the land. A lot of elevation changes.

Cons: No shade. No trash cans on the course that I remember (although I don't recall seeing much litter on the ground). Somewhat lacking in distance on alot of holes, but it makes up for that with man made OB and hazards around the green

Other Thoughts: Bring water! I was out in AZ for the memorial and on the last day my friends and I decided to check this course out after hearing great things from the locals. Absolutely beautiful and tons of fun. Not like anything you see here in New England. Luckily a local happened to be there that played with us and showed us the new 9 holes. I can't wait to play this course again.

Pros: This course is set in a nice multi-use facility with soccer fields,playgrounds,...ect and most importantly DISC GOLF. Its located next to a school and there are usually ppl around but most of them stay away from the disc golf area. There are bathrooms and drinking fountains by hole 1 which is really nice.
Now to the course.....this course is one word "FUN". If u have a 300ft accurate hyzer you will score under par. The first 5 or so holes are very flat and just require a little distance control. After that, u start to make ur way up and down "buffalo ridge" for the middle section of holes. Then you finish with more flat holes. I will say that this course can be a struggle when the temps get in the 100's, so bring plenty of water and enjoy the hike. The teepads here are awsome and each one has its own flair. The course flow is pretty good but u should def download a map. The additional 9 holes seems to be more of the same, a few flat and a few elevated. There are a couple elevated greens which help the challenge. Tee signs are good(except xtra 9). Streamers on baskets help u locate the basket from the tee.

Cons: Well, this course lacks challenge and distance. You could easily shoot 10 under if ur a good intermediate. The wind will come into play but theres not enough penalty for a bad shot so u will still get your par. I was hoping the xtra 9 would be long holes with elevated greens but its another birdie fest. I understand that u have to work with the land you are given but i want to see longer pin placements for bogie risks.

Other Thoughts: Overall this course is fun and a good confidence builder. The locals seem to work on this course alot and that is great, keep up the good work. If ur looking for a typical fun disc golf course, this is it. If ur looking for a challenge, fountain hills in the long position or marana rock in the longs down south.
P.s. if u want to play the xtra 9 i would suggest finding a local because they are not well marked.

Pros: Use of the hill side is good. You warm up with some flat ground shots before hitting a number of holes where you throw up and down the hill.

The difficulty for this course comes about in misplaced shots and where your lie might be. Some of the bush and plant life is thick and prickly. So if you end up underneath or behind one your next shot will be tough.

You won't throw rollers here but you will need a good straight shot, hyzer, FH, and OH.

The baskets that are on elevated mounds make for some enjoyable holes. And there are a few decent ace runs.

Cons: Is it fair to say the lack of shade? Probably not as that is just the nature of the environment and not the fault of the course.
Again, not really any particularly tight fairways to hit. Some of the holes back up the hill are pretty much just open throws with the only difficulty being whether or not you have the distance.

Other Thoughts: The Course Map that you can download from this site is useful and helpful for navigation around the course.
It is quite rocky so you will want to use premium plastic. My star/GL discs held up quite well but I did put a couple of slices in a champ disc.